Alarm apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l .1. A. BOLDUC ALARM APPARATUS Filed Feb. 26, 1926 Nov. 18, 1930.

Nov. 18,v 1930. i J. A. BQLDUC 1,782,190

` ALARM APPARATUS Filed Feb. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR YPatented Nov. 18A, 1930 UNITED s*raresg BILE.; Loox-ALARM eon-roaATIoN, Nnw'irom:k

,'.PATENTgoFFlcEx y i l y .msnen ARTHUR BoLDUc, or MONTREAL, eUnBnc. CANADA, AssreNoa'rrro Au'roiao. Y or NEW Yoan, N. A coRPonA'rIoN or ALARM ArPARA'rUs Application filed February 26,192.6. Serial No. 90,732..

l This invention relates to alarm apparatus,

and more particularly tofsuchA an apparatus as is disclosed in my co-pending application for.l patent Serial No. 80,408, ile'd January 11,1926, and which is particularly designed for application to motor vehicles for the pur ignition switch `or other `switch operated by a movable part of the vehicle is closed, the' horn or other audible" alarm device'is sounded, and even though the switch may again be opened, the circuit of the sounding-device remains closed so that the operation of said device will continue. The noise incident to this continuous sounding of the alarm device has met with some objection, and it is thepurpose of my present invention to provide a` verysimple addition to the device disclosed in my pending application .whereby the cir-` cuit of the alarm device may be automatically broken independently of rthe switch and said circuit then again closed so as to cause the alarm device to be intermittently operated.

It is another object of vmy invention rto provide an automatic means for intermittently breaking and-making the circuit of the alarm device which is of such construeA- tion that the time interval between the periods of operation of the device may be varied With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved alarm apparatus and in the form, construction and relative yarrangement of its severalv parts -as will be hereinafter more fully described, vil-.` lustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined casing for the severalparts being shown in section 'and the mechanism illustrated in proper position to sound the alarm upon` closing ofthe switch;

- f Fig. 2 isa horizontal sectional view taken l substantiallyon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken sub ly on the "lineB- of F igrl', and .i

Figli: is a diagrammatic view showing the normal condition when the vehicle is--being operated by the owner with the vprmaryor ignition circuit closed.-

Referring in detail to thedrawingsV where-l in I have illustrated the severalessential parts of the apparatus enclosed within a suitable housing or casing which is adapted to` be mounted in anyconvenientlocation upon lthe under side of the vehicle 1 dashboard, as

shown more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The wires orother conductors 1 and 2 respectively, may be connectedl in any suitablemannerwith a plurality of suitably constructed switches connected with variousv f3 and insulated therefrom the spaced bind? ing posts fr, 5, 6 and 7 respectively, are arranged. A conductor 8 extends from the post d to the ignition apparatus of the vehicle and is subsequently grounded. A conductor 9 is connected to the post 5, to the battery 10 and hence to the g-round. This conductor 9 has interposed therein'the ignition switch indi cated at 11 and to said conductor at opposite A sides ofthe switch 11, thelines 1 and 2 are joined. Y

Anaudible signalling or alarm device such as an electrically operated horn 12 is con-k nected to the binding post 7 and to the ground as at 13. A yconductor 14- extending 'from the post 6 is joinedto the conductor 9 betweenthebattery l0 and the ignition switch 11. I

IVithin the box 3 an electromagnet 16 is mounted. AA bracket 17 is also fixed to yone wall of the boX andis provided with an angularly disposed,y apertured"k lug 18, Figure 4,'

stantialr parts, the switch and are yieldingly urged in one direction by which slidably guides aV manually operable part 19 extending through an opening 20 in one side wall of the casing orhousing 3.v The outer Vend of this part 19 has bearing contact 'against the short arm 21 of an L-shaped lever 22 which is pivoted asv at 23. The otherarm of this lever is engaged byv the 'inner end'ofV `a push buttonV 24 suitably mounted in thev dashboard of the vehicle.

.Withinone end ofthe casing or housingV 3u-spaced plates 25n andV 26 respectively, are pivotallyV mounted for swinging movement the springs 27. A similar Aplate 28 K also pivotallymounted between the plates 25 and 26' and carries rod or? bar 29 engaged at its ends with one sidel of the plates 25'Y and 26 .to Aswing the latter against Vthevaction of the springs 27, the

ends of said `barvbeing suitably insulated from said plates.

lThe plate 25 adjacent oneedge is provided with a shoulder` 30 for purposev whichY will be latery pointed out, while the plate 26 is formed at its free end with an arm or .extenh sion 31 having an `insulating material 32 secured Aupon one sidethereof. This arm is adapted for engagement in a notch or recess 34 formed in an upstanding flange 3301.1 the partv 19so that the'shoulders at the opposite ends of this recess will'enga-ge the edges of Vthe metal arm 31'. r.

circuit will be opened independently ofthe switch 11. Y Y Y f Spaced bindingV posts 40 and 41 are mount-Y ed Within the housing 37 the post 40 having a connection 42 with the conductor 38 and a connection 43 with the winding of the electromagnet 16. The post 41 is connected byv a Wire 44 with the hinged or pivoted plate 26. `A contact piece or screw 46 is engaged by a resilient metal strip 47 to which an arma ture 48 is fixed at one of its ends. The other end of this armature is provided witlran angularlyextending arm 49, the purpose of which will presently appear.

A conductor 5() extends from thebinding post 6 and has an angularly 'disposed resiliently movable end portion 51, the terminal of which is positioned in the angle formed by the armature 48 and the arm 49 thereof and is provided with an insulating sleeve 52. This angular end 51 of the conductor has a part 53 fixed thereto adapted `to cooperate with the plate 25 and being normally engaged are engaged by a suitable spring pressed pawl 61 to prevent retrograde rotation of said ratchet. .fr second smaller ratchet wheel 62 is journalled upon the stud shaft 63 fixed in plate 58Y and the teeth thereof are also en gaged by spring pawl64.' The arm 49 of armature 48 carries a spring pawl 65 which also cooperates with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 and in the movement of the arm in one direction, imparts a rotative move ment to said ratchet wheeL This ratchet wheel 62 carries a pin orstud 66 which, in each revolution of said wheel engages one of the'teeth of the ratchet wheel 60 and thus impartsv a step by step rotative movement to the latter wheel.

Upon the under side of the plate 58 a slide *i bar 67 is suitably mounted and husa lug or linger. 68 on one end pro]ecting through an opening 69 in said plate. This lug is adapted to cooperate with one end of a lever 70 pivoted intermediate of its ends as at 71 upon the plate 58, and positioned between the ratch'etwheel 60 and the plate. The other end of said lever is inwardly curved and is.

adapted to be engaged by a pin or stud 72 projecting from the under side of the ratchet wheel 60.` The slide bar 67 at its other end bears against van insulating sleeve'73 on one end of an arm 7 4 fixed to the plate 25. This slide bar is retracted and yieldingly held inthe position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings by suitable coil springs'75.

The part 19 is normally urged in one direction by a spring 76 in which position of said part the contacts 36 and 37 are engaged as seen in Fig. 4 to close the ignition circuit. For the purpose of operating the plates 25 and 26.to permit the return of said part to its normal .position and the breaking of the alarm circuit, I provide a pin tumbler lock indicated at 77-suitably mounted in the dash# board of the vehicle andhaving its barrel connectedv by a rod 78 with the intermediate pivoted or hinged plate 28, as in my prior application.

' Any number of other switches may be connected in the circuit illustrated in Fig. 4 of. the drawings, and I have therein indicated conductors 79 for one such switch connected with the lines 1 and 2.

In the'normaloperation of the. vehicle equipped with myalarm apparatus, the parts igvsaigo are in the relativepositions shown in Fig. 4

of the drawings with the contacts36 and 37 engaged with each other while the insulation 32 on plate 26 is engaged with the part'19 and the extension 53 of conductor 51 is engaged wit-h the insulation 54 onplate 25.V

Thus, when the ignition circuit is lclosed-'in the usual way', the current flows from battery through conductor 9 to the post`5 and along the conductor 38 through contacts 36 and 37 and conductorr bar andpost 4 and hencel through conductor Sto the ignition apparatus and from the latter vrto theground;

VVhen'the owner or operator. of the Vehicle leaves the same unattended, hefmerely pushes upon thebutton24 and thereby rocks lever 22 to force the ypart 19 inwardly. The end of this part bearing against the lug 39 dis* engages contact 36 and contact 37 and thereby breaks the ignition circuit independently of the switch 11. At the same time, the notch 34 in the flange 33 of said part 19ymoves beneath the arm 31 of the plate 26 and this arm is urged downwardly into said notchby the spring 27 so that the opposite end edges of the notch are engaged with the side edges of said arm. The parts are now in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings'.v Should the ignition switch 11 now be closed in the attempt by one contemplating the theft ofi-the machine to operate the same, the current will -iiow from the battery along the conductor 9 to the post 5 through conductor 38 to post 40, through conductor 43 and the windings of the magnet 16 to the screw 46 along strip '47' which is connected to post 41 and hence along conductor 44 to plate 26 through part 19 to bracket 17 which is grounded through the wall of the casing or housing. Thus a circuit energizing the magnet 16 yis completed whereupon the armature 48 is attracted and this armature engaging theinsulating sleeve 52 pulls the resilient end portion of the conductor 50 thereby disengaging the extension A53 from insulation 54 of plate 25 and positioning the endet said extension in line with the recess or notch 30 of said plate so that the spring 27 may torcey theplate downwardly to engage the edge of said notch with the extension 53. lAt the `same time extension 56 of the conductor 50 is engaged with contact 57. It will be noted that there is sufficient space between sleeve 52 and eXtension53 to permit of the vibration of armature 48V' while said conductor is held in the circuit closing position above described. The contact 46 remains engaged withthe strip 47 so that the armature 48 continues to vibrate while at the same time a circuit is closed from the battery through conductor 14, post 6, conductor 50, plate 25, conductor 55, post 7 and hence to the grounded horn 12 or other sounding device. Should one of the other switches connected in thelines 1 and 2 be closed, the same circuit would then be closed through conductor "38, contactv 57 *and conductor 50. As thearmature 48 vibrates, ratchetwheel 62 is rotatedpby the pawl 65, and a step bystep 60 until pin 2 on said wheel engages the end of ylever andby the camming action thereon rocks said lever to move the `slidelbar 67 against the action of spring V7 5. They end of this'slide bar .bearing on sleeve'73A moves the plate 25 independently of the other plate 26 whichremains in circuit closing posit1on,.and therebyV breaks the connection between the lmovement is imparted tothe ratchet wheel extension 53 of the conductor 50l andsaidVv plate 25,whereupon the yconductor 5,0 returns to its normal position, thereby breakingxthe circuit last described'so that the operationof the alarm" device 12. is stopped. y

p Thel alarm devicewill'remain silent until pm 72 moves oiioi the curved endet the lever 7.0 whereupon spring 75 retracts .the slide-67,

. 59 of the ratchet'wheel 60 so that this pin will remain in contact with the curved end of lever 70 for a greater or a less length of time.

lflhen the flock barrel 77 isoperated so as `to disengage plate 26 from the flange 33 of the part 19, and et course simultaneously disengage part 25y 'from the end 53 of conductor 50, the operating circuit for the alarm device `12 andthe circuit for the electromagnet 16is definitely broken, said part 19 being returnedto normal position by spring 76 and engaged with the insulation 32 on the plate 26 while contact 36 again engages contact 37 to close the break inthe ignition circuit. y

4From the foregoing description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, my present lmprovements will be clear ly and fully understood. It will be seen that by a very simple addition to the apparatus as shown in my prior application, the operating circuit for the alarm device is intermittently broken or interrupted. The alarm apparatus will therefore, be more eifective in attractingattention and frustrating possible theft ot the motor vehiclewhile at the same time the noise incident to the operation of the device is reduced.

/Jhile I have herein shown and described a practical and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless, to be understood that the same results might possibly be obtained in other alternative structuralforms thereof, and I therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes Y `inl the form, construction and relative ar-V rangement ofthe `several parts Aas may be fairly embodied Within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed. o Y

I claim:

' l. In atheft alarm system for automobiles, Y n

an alarm circuit, a switch in said circuit in-v cluding a member biased for movement in one direction to circuit openingposition, and latching means for holding saidmember in closed Ycircuit position against saidA bias, a vibratory member, electromagnetic means included in aV normally open circuit *for* vibra-ting said member, inter-engaging means between the first named member and said vibrating member for moving said biased member to latched position' and tothereafter permitrthe free vibration of said vibrating member, andV means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism operated by said vibrating member for i releasing said *latchl member after a predetermined number of vibrations of said vibratory member.

2.` In a theft alarm system for automobiles, an' alarm circuit,a switch in said circuit including a member biased for movement in'one direction to circuit opening'Y position and latching nieans for holding said member in closed circuit position against said bia-s, a

vibratory member, electromagnetic means included in a normally open circuit for vibrat-` ingV said member, said biased means disposed in the path of movement of said vibratory member for moving said biased member to latched position out ofthe path of the vibratory member upon the initial movement of the Vlatter and thereafter `permit the free vibration of the vibratory member, and means operable by the vibrator-y membervfor releas ing said latchmelnber after a predetermined number of vibrations of said vibratory mem ber. Y j Y Y In Vtestimony that I claim the oregoing'as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.`

JOSEPH A.A BoLDUc.

eis., 

